1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cyclone dust collecting apparatus and an upright vacuum cleaner that includes the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 for a vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 comprises a cyclone body 20, a dust collector 30, and a grill assembly 40. The grill assembly 40 is connected with the cyclone body 20 by a connection member (not shown).
An inflow passage 21 connected with a brush assembly (not shown) of the vacuum cleaner is disposed at an upper part of the cyclone body 20. Air drawn into through the inflow passage 21 flows in a tangential direction of the cyclone body 20 and forms a whirling air current.
An outflow passage 22 is disposed at an upper center of the cyclone body 20. A grill assembly 40 for preventing a dust from being drawing into a vacuum generating device, that is, a motor driving unit, is disposed at an inlet of the outflow passage 22.
The grill assembly 40 has a grill body 41 and a sealing member 42. The grill body 41 has a plurality of passages 46 formed therein, in order to draw in the air. A dust back flow preventing unit 43 is formed on an outer side of a circumferential direction of the sealing member 42.
An upper part of the grill body 41 is connected with the outflow passage 22, and a lower part of the grill body 41 is shielded by the shielding member 42.
The shielding member 42 is removably connected with the grill body 41 by a screw 45.
In the above construction, a user separates the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 from the vacuum cleaner to cleanse or repair the cyclone dust collecting apparatus. Then, the user should separate the dust collector 30 from the cyclone body 20, and the shielding member 42 from the grill body 41. After finishing cleaning and repairing of the cyclone dust collecting apparatus, the shielding member 42 should be reassembled. Next, the dust collector 30 is reassembled, and finally, the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 should be reinstalled at the cleaner.
An upright vacuum cleaner is disclosed in Korean patent application number 2001-31233, which has not been published as of the filing date of the US application for the present invention. In the disclosed vacuum cleaner, the cyclone body is secured to the vacuum cleaner by a locking knob, and the dust collector is removably installed at a lower part of the cyclone body by a locking unit. In the vacuum cleaner having the above construction, only the dust collector is separated and reinstalled without separating the cyclone dust collecting apparatus from the vacuum cleaner, when the user removes dust. Thus, it is convenient for the user to use the vacuum cleaner.
On the other hand, when the cyclone dust collecting apparatus of FIG. 1 is applied to an upright vacuum cleaner by using the advantage of the vacuum cleaner disclosed as the above-mentioned unpublished application, there is an advantage of high dust collecting effect and the user also can use the vacuum cleaner conveniently.
However, if the dust collector 30 is removably connected with the cyclone body 20 in a construction of FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner can be operated in the status that the shielding member 42 is not assembled at the grill body 41 due to the user""s mistake. In this case, the dust can be directly drawn into the motor driving unit through a lower opening of the grill body 41. Thus, improvements in this design and construction are needed.
The present invention relates to a cyclone dust collecting apparatus and an upright vacuum cleaner that contains the same. The apparatus has an improved structure that prevents the dust collector from being assembled when the shielding member is not previously assembled into the grill body.
This is accomplished by providing a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for an upright vacuum cleaner that comprises a cyclone body that has an inflow passage and a outflow passage, and is removably connected with a cleaner body; a grill body that has a connection passage for connection with the outflow passage; a shielding member removably connected with the grill body in order to shield a lower opening of the grill body; a dust collector removably connected with a lower part of the cyclone body in order to collect dust separated in the cyclone body; and blocking means for preventing the dust collector from being connected with the cyclone body when the shielding member is not assembled at the grill body.
It is preferable that the blocking means includes: a stopper pin disposed at the grill body for moving upwardly and downwardly in order to prevent the dust collector from moving horizontally by protruding to a lower end of the cyclone body when the stopper pin moves downwardly; and a spring for flexibly pressing the stopper pin downwardly. Thus, the stopper pin is pushed to move upwardly by the shielding member connected with the grill body.
In addition, the grill body includes a guide unit for guiding the movement of the stopper pin and accommodating the spring. Moreover, the guide unit has at least one slot formed up and down therein, and a locking member that protrudes from an outer side of the stopper pin. The locking member is connected with the slot in order to prevent the stopper pin from being separated from it.
The invention also relates to an upright vacuum cleaner that comprises a cleaner body that has a settling unit, the settling unit having an outflow path connected with the motor driving unit and an inflow path connected with a suction brush; a cyclone unit installed at the settling unit in order to separate dust from air drawn into through the inflow path, and to discharge the clean air to the outflow path; and a dust collector removably connected with a lower part of the cyclone unit in order to collect the separated dust in a cyclone unit. Preferably, the cyclone unit comprises: a cyclone body, removably connected with the settling unit, having an inflow passage and an outflow passage. A locking knob is rotatably disposed at the cyclone body in order to be removably connected with a knob connection hole formed at an inside wall of the settling unit.
The vacuum cleaner also comprises a grill body having a connection passage connected with the outflow passage; a shielding member removably connected with the grill body in order to shield a lower opening of the grill body; and blocking means for preventing the dust collector from being connected with the cyclone body when the shielding member is not assembled at the grill body. Here, it is preferred that the dust collector be secured by a locking unit that moves upwardly and downwardly, and that the locking unit be disposed at a lower part of the settling unit.
Furthermore, it is advisable that the upright vacuum cleaner comprises a locking lever rotatably disposed at a lower part of the grill body; and a penetrating hole formed at a corresponding part to the shielding member so that the locking lever can pass through at a certain position.